


Tired

by hiya_zelda (hiya_girlie)



Category: The Legend of Zelda & Related Fandoms, The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess
Genre: F/M, I am oh so weak for this pair, Kissing, Lots of kissing, Severe Fluff Warning, TP Zelink but really could be any zelink, Workaholic!Zelda, implied sleeping together, link is worried about her, overprotective!Link, so weak, you might lose a few teeth reading this, zelda is sleep deprived and tired
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-02-02
Updated: 2020-02-02
Packaged: 2021-02-27 18:41:23
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,551
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22520392
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/hiya_girlie/pseuds/hiya_zelda
Summary: It’s late, and the queen is tired.But she’s first and foremost incredibly stubborn, and that means she needs some outside intervention if she’s actually going to sleep instead of working.
Relationships: Link/Zelda (Legend of Zelda)
Comments: 8
Kudos: 128





	Tired

**Author's Note:**

> Some songs to listen to to set the mood of this story if you’re interested:
> 
> “Tired” by Alan Walker  
> “Dreams” by Elektronomia  
> “Up All Night” by Owl City

It’s late, and the queen is tired. 

She pours over reports, wishing she was in bed, giving her empty tea cup a glare every so often as if she is trying to intimidate it into refilling itself. She’s been reading the same report for almost an hour and keeps falling asleep at the same point halfway through. Her head pounds faintly, a sign that her late night will result in a massive headache the next morning. 

“Send more soldiers to the southeastern garrison,” she mumbles aloud, scribbling the words onto a separate paper. At this point her handwriting is almost entirely illegible and tomorrow she’ll have to waste time trying to decipher it, but her hand is aching and she doesn’t have the time nor the patience to waste making her notes look nice. 

She takes a quick break, rubbing her eyes. Waking up early and running a long day isn’t her favorite thing in the world, but when she daydreams about sleeping in, her stomach twists and guilt forces her to rethink. There are people out there who suffer through much worse than she does with smiles and good cheer. If they can do it, so can she. 

She finishes the report and sets it aside, stretching. Her inkwell is nearly empty and her lantern is depleting rapidly. She estimates she has around ten or twenty minutes left, and there are still things left to do. She reasons that extra time spent now will allow her a few extra minutes of sleep tomorrow and picks up the next report.

Outside the window of her study, the night patrol changes shifts, signifying that it’s been three hours since sundown. She admires the dedication of the castle guards. The night is cold, yet they stand out each night with unwavering diligence. That gives her a boost of confidence and she pushes through the report, not bothering to take any more notes on it. 

She knows staying up this late on a daily basis is unhealthy, but it’s work that needs to be completed. Her kingdom unfortunately will not rule itself, no matter how exhausted she is. She’s been preparing for a sleepless life since she was a little girl. 

She starts to nod off, her eyelids slipping closed, when someone knocks at the door, startling her. 

“Come in,” she says groggily. She has to stifle a loud yawn. 

The door opens and the captain of the castle guard walks in, gently closing the door behind him. As one of his duties he is responsible for her protection and often escorts her to bed and she isn’t surprised to see him. 

The queen sits up a little straighter, trying to pretend like she hadn’t just fallen asleep. “Oh, Link. I didn’t think you’d still be up,” she remarks. 

He puts a hand over his heart and bows respectfully. “I could say the same of you, Your Majesty,” he replies, a faint smile playing across his face. Though a fierce and intimidating warrior, she notes that he has a delicately soft smile. It never ceases to make her heart skip a beat.

“Yes, well, there’s work that still needs to be done.” She sighs, turning back to her papers.

“Would you care for some company?” He asks, gesturing to the empty chair next to her desk.

She shakes her head, eyes downcast. “I can’t ask that of you. I’ll be up for a while longer. You’re probably tired and if so you should go to bed.”

His smile is replaced with a look of concern and he sits down anyway. “I appreciate your concern, but I think I should be the one worrying about you,” he says. “You’ve been staying up late a lot this past week.”

She’s embarrassed that her weariness is so obvious, and she looks away, unable to meet his eyes. “Like I said, there’s work that still needs to be done.”

“Your Majesty, you really should take a break,” he says, more firmly this time. “You’re running yourself ragged trying to do so much at once. Your body needs rest, as does your mind.”

“I’m well aware, Link,” she says, her voice tight and a bit more snappish than she intended. “But I don’t have the luxury of selfishness when my kingdom is still in such disarray.”

His eyebrows furrow slightly. He slowly places a hand on her arm. If anyone else touches her like that, she reprimands them for the intimate contact, but they were good friends and casually contact like this doesn’t mean anything. One look at his face tells her that he’s seriously concerned. “It isn’t selfish to take care of yourself. Your Majesty, please, you need to sleep,” he repeats, barely above a whisper.

She moves her arm out of his grasp. “Thank you, but I’m fine,” she insists with a tone of finality. 

The room falls to silence as her mind drifts back to the report. She knows she made him mad with her insistence that she’s fine. It’s obvious to anyone with two eyes that she’s lying through her teeth. He looks frustrated, but he can’t argue with her. The queen’s word is final and if she says that she’ll be staying up to finish something, no one can tell her not to, not even the captain of the castle guard.

A few minutes pass, neither saying a single word. The only sound is of her pen scratching onto paper. She feels guilty for snapping at him but can’t make the apology form in her mouth. She’s so tired and she wants to finish the report so she can head for bed and wishes he would just leave her alone already. 

Finally he moves to leave, just as her lantern is almost empty. Instead of leaving, however, he grabs hold of her chair and pulls it away from her desk. 

“What are you-“ Her exclamation of surprise is cut off when he slips one arm underneath her legs and one arm around her back and lifts her out of the chair. He picks her up like she weighs nothing and blows out the lantern before moving to open the door. 

His earlier touch on her arm is excusable, but this is wildly inappropriate. To hold her so close, with no permission and no reason, their bodies touching so personally with just a few layers of clothes between their skin, their faces only a few scandalous inches apart, frankly, it shocks her. He isn’t the type of person to act out of line like this, always playing it safe, and he certainly hasn’t done something like this before. 

For a moment she’s too flustered to say anything. Her heart feels as though it will beat right out of her chest. He is attractive, courageous, and kind, so of course she feels a slight, entirely natural pull to him, but to suddenly be swept off her feet by him only strengths the pull. Her mind races nearly as fast as her heart, all kinds of unqueenly thoughts springing up. 

She has to fight back the heat rising in her cheeks and push aside the buried longing in her heart deciding to make itself known as she regains her bearings. If people see them like this, it’ll be beyond scandalous. 

“Put me down!” She demands, embarrassed and indignant. She tries to wriggle out of his arms, but they’re tight around her and she can only manage to squirm awkwardly against him. 

He adjusts his hold on her to close the door behind them. “With all due respect, Your Majesty, I can’t. I’m taking you to your room so you can sleep.”

Her indignation begins to boil into fury. He has no right to be blatantly ignoring her orders like this! Surely he knows the consequences of such a bold move, surely he is aware of what people will say if they see him carrying her, surely he isn’t blind enough to commit such a blunder! 

Yet for all her struggling he continues to carry her, his face impassive, down the hallway towards her bedroom. 

She probably tells him to put her down dozens of times, each time threatening him with some punishment she could never carry out. Her constantly fighting, verbally with her demands that he let her go and physically as she tries to force her way out once more, slowly drains the last reserves of her energy, and finally she accepts her fate, slumping against him. 

“Good girl,” he whispers.

She should feel insulted. Addressing her with such a disrespectful title is grounds for severe punishment, only intensified by his position. As one of her closest advisors he is required to treat her with the highest level of respect or he risks ruining his reputation and being replaced.

But the hallway is empty, there is no one around to yell at him, and she certainly doesn’t have the energy to do it herself, so her complaints die in her mouth and she goes quiet. 

His steps are rhythmic and with her head against his chest, she can hear his steady breathing, in, out, in, out, smooth and even. His body is warm, too, like a fireplace, and his arms offer her comfort she can’t find anywhere else. It’s almost funny how quickly her thoughts shifted from feeling disrespected to feeling comforted. 

They arrive at her bedroom and she’s eager to get in bed. He doesn’t set her down until after they go inside, gently placing her on her bed. The room is dark and her bed is so inviting, she starts to nod off. He carefully removes her crown and shoes, his touches swift and soft, and so caring that she wants to cry at his kindness. He managed to drag her to bed against her will, carrying her and silently dealing with all her kicking and threatening. She had acted so childish towards him but he doesn’t complain, doesn’t fight back, and now he is helping her get settled before he leaves. 

“Thank you,” she murmurs as he pulls the blankets around her. She has no other words. 

His hand rests on her shoulder, his fingertips caress her skin. At this point she couldn’t care less about how scandalous it is to allow such contact. His fingers are warm and his touch is soothing and she regrets trying to fight him moments ago because now she wants nothing more than to be held by him again. 

“I’m just worried about you,” he says. There is no trace of anger or bitterness in his voice, only quiet concern and compassion. “It’s so hard to see you hurt yourself like this.” 

His words are so forgiving, so tender, so sweet and so loving, her heart aches and she badly wants to cling to them and to hold them close while she sleeps. 

She holds back the tears stinging her eyes and whispers, “I’m sorry.”

He smiles and moves his hand to touch her cheek. He knows exactly what he has to do to make her weak, and now she has no doubt in her mind that she is absolutely smitten with him. “I’ll accept your apology after you get a good night’s sleep,” he says teasingly.

He stands, turning towards the door. She reaches out and takes his hand.

“Can you stay a little longer?” She asks softly. 

He puts a warm kiss on the back of her hand. She wishes he would kiss her everywhere, causing her cheeks to flush at the thought. 

“I’m afraid I can’t,” he says apologetically, though not unkindly. He gives her hand a gentle squeeze. “You’re tired and I need to let you sleep.”

He lets go of her hand. She lays back down and pulls the blankets closer, turning away from him to hide her red face. “Goodnight,” she says, trying not to sound disappointed. 

“Good night, Your Majesty,” he replies, a ghost of a smile in his words. “Sleep well.” And, almost so quiet that she can’t hear him, he adds, in the sweetest tone, “I love you.”

He closes the door behind him, leaving her in darkness. She is alone now, the room quiet, but inside her heart leaps energetically. Her hand is still tingling where he pressed his lips to it. He said he loved her. 

Who knew such a simple act could leave her so breathless, so completely and hopelessly in love with him when just minutes ago she was ready to fire him for touching her. She smiles to herself, unable to keep her tears back. Despite her exhaustion, she feels so overwhelmingly wonderful. 

As her eyes close, his words echo in her mind and lull her into a soft night of dreaming of his kisses against her skin and his warmth around her body. 

——

It’s late, but the queen isn’t tired.

She is standing on her balcony and leaning against the rails. The captain is standing beside her, his gaze cast out over the castle. She asked him to come to better apologize to him for her behavior last night, but she’s been quiet since he arrived, trying to work up the courage to speak.

She turns to him, opening her mouth to speak. Suddenly she feels so timid and shy, the words she wants to say don’t come out at all. He notices her hesitation. 

“Is something wrong?” He asks, his head tilted slightly. 

All at once, her words spill out, a rush of apologies and feelings that she’s certain he can’t understand. “I’m sorry for what happened last night,” she says, and can’t stop as she continues, “and I’m so grateful for what you did, and I feel so foolish and childish when I think of what I said and did and although I’m certain you are upset with me, I want to try and make it up to you as best as I can, and-“

“Hey,” he interrupts softly. 

She pauses, blushing as she realized that she had began to ramble. “Sorry, I-“

He puts a finger to her lips, silencing her entirely. “I told you, I’d accept your apology when you got a good night’s sleep. Did you?”

She nods, remembering the feeling of being able to sleep in. “I slept until nine this morning.”

He smiles. “Then I accept. No more apologizing.”

She opens her mouth to protest. “But-“

“Your Majesty,” he asks, chuckling, “do you not want me to accept it?”

She hesitates. “I just feel guilty.”

“Don’t.”

“But-“

His chuckle turns into a full hearty laugh, and he tosses his head back to let it out. His smile is so wide, she’s confused. 

“What?” She asks, blushing even harder. 

His laugh fades but his smile stays. “You were tired and you lashed out, I get it. Besides,” he adds, a hint of embarrassment in his voice, “I should be apologizing to you, not the other way around. I was the one who picked you up and hauled you away without your permission.”

“You were right to.”

“But I shouldn’t have,” he says, shaking his head. “I’m sorry I acted out.”

Now she’s even more confused. “It’s really no big deal, you don’t have to apologize,” she says quickly. 

“So we’re even?” He asks, and she realizes she played right into his hands. 

She sighs, admitting defeat. “I guess so.”

“Good.” He looks away, staring up at the night sky.

Silence settles over them. She has more to say, but he forgave her so quickly she couldn’t get it out. She takes a deep breath and moves a little closer, so they’re elbow to elbow against the balcony. If he notices the contact he doesn’t say anything about it. 

“Did you mean what you said last night?” She asks quietly.

“When I said good night? Of course I did.”

She glances at him, catching him hiding a mischievous grin. “No, when you said ‘I love you.’”

He breathes in once, twice, then he rubs his neck, the tips of his ears turning pink. “Of course I did,” he says, his voice small. 

She smiles, and with a surge of confidence she leans over and kisses his cheek, keeping her face close as she whispers, “I love you too.”

He looks surprised, his eyes wide. “Your Majesty...” he stutters, unable to finish his sentence. Suddenly he’s flushed and embarrassed, unlike a few seconds ago. “I, I should go now, it’s late, and you need to sleep-“

She puts her arms around his neck and hugs him tightly, burying her head into his neck. “I’m not tired,” she says softly. “And I want you to stay a little longer.”

He slips his arms around her, pulling her close, and she doesn’t care about the scandal this might cause as the familiar feeling of comfort he gave her returns. She’s not tired like she was last night and she’s able to fully appreciate the gentle strength of his embrace, feel his heartbeat in her body, notice his breath on her neck. The night is cold but in his arms she’s warm and safe and she never wants to let go. 

“I love you,” he mumbles into her neck, punctuating his words with a light kiss on her skin, just below her ear where her jawline starts. “I love you, I love you, I love you..”

“I love you, too,” she says, giggling as his kisses tickle her. Her laugh is loud and free and it encourages him to kiss her more, his kisses traveling up her neck to her jaw and cheeks and nose before he cups her face and gives her a real kiss, his lips warm and soft and hungry against hers. 

She doesn’t realize how long she’s been aching to kiss him until now, but deep inside her she’s harbored a longing desire to feel his lips with her own since the day they first met, slowly building upon the yearning with every interaction and every friendly touch, until last night when she was certain that he is the one she loves and the one she wants to love forever. She wasn’t ready to admit to the depth of her feelings to herself until he said “I love you” and then she became a mess of mixed feelings, part of her worrying about the logistics of a marriage between them and the other part celebrating that she is finally here in his arms and kissing him. 

She’s breathless when he pulls away, her eyes sparkling and her heart pounding. It’s exhilarating, being so free with her emotions. She’s so used to being a prim and proper queen that breaking loose of those chains is a new and exciting experience, one that fills her chest with guilt for acting like a beast but also a sense of well being in knowing that she’s safe with him, no matter what happens. 

When he leans in again she doesn’t hesitate to meet him eagerly, tilting her head to press her lips to his as her hand slides into his fluffy hair and tangles it in her fingers. He rests one hand on her jaw, rubbing his thumb across her skin with light touches that make her skin feel fireworks, and the other on her waist, gripping the fabric of her dress tightly to keep them both steady. 

“Zelda,” he sighs after she pulls back, his voice slightly hoarse. Hearing him say her name like that sends pleasant shivers down her spine and makes her want to do whatever he asks. 

She kisses him again, and lets her lips trail down his face lazily until her head rests once more in the crook of his neck. “Hmm?”

“This is entirely indecent of a queen and the captain of her castle guard,” he murmurs and she can feel his playful smirk on her skin. 

She moves her head to get a better look at him and notices smears of red lipstick around his mouth and down his cheek where her lips hadn’t been as accurate, and when she runs a hand through his hair, she feels the knots that have formed. She notes how out of breath she is and how her hands hurt from holding onto him so firmly.

“Sorry,” she says, feigning meekness, although she feels no remorse and is actually quite pleased with herself. “I’ll help you get cleaned up before you leave.”

“I thought you said you wanted me to stay a little longer,” he teases. 

She takes his hands, looking away. “I didn’t say you had to leave yet,” she says demurely. “Unless you want to.”

He reacts just the right way, squeezing her hands, letting a few seconds fade away, and when he replies, his voice is slow and honeyed in way that covers and comforts her like a blanket. “If you’ll let me stay, I will.”

She raises an eyebrow, grinning, and she takes the chance to tease him back. “Even if it’s entirely indecent?” 

He chuckles and replies, “It turns out you’re the queen and can excuse things like that.”

With a laugh, she pulls him off the balcony with her. And when they go to bed that night, she doesn’t have to dream as she feels his soft kisses pepper her skin and snuggles closer into his warm embrace while she drifts asleep. 

**Author's Note:**

> Haha, as I wrote this it was only supposed to be the first half, then I thought well it would be better longer and I was right. It it so much better longer.
> 
> As the tags mention I am super weak for TP Zelink, i have no idea why they’re my favorite but they are and I will be writing fics of them til the day I die. I’d love to talk about them if you wanna chat in the comments :D
> 
> Another side note, I have a really old drawing of TP Zelink that I did like last year that fits with the ending of the story that I might post to my Instagram sometime after I redraw it. I’m hygirl_does_art if you’re interested!
> 
> Thanks for reading!


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